Fibre stripping device



Sept. 29, l1959 J. E.l CARY E T AL FIBRE STRIPPING DEVICE Original Filed Sept. 29, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 www TORS. l l l f Q/ wie SePL 29, l959 l J. E. CARY :TAL f 2,906,394

FIBRE STRIPPING DEVYICE Original Filed Sept'. 29, A3.953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 29, 1959 .1.E. CARY ErAL 2,905,394

FIBRE STRIPPING DEVICE l original'Filed sept. 29, 195s 4'sheets-sheet s Sept. 29, 1959 1. E. CARY ETAL 2,906,394

FIBRE STRIPPING DEVICE:

original Filmsept 29, 195s l 4 sheets-sheet 4 I VENTORS.

United States Patent O FIBRE STRIPPING DEVICE John E. Cary, Russell E. Shafer, and Valerie Cary, Opelousas, La.

Original application September 29, 1953, Serial No. 383,064. Divided and this application July 26, 1956, Serial No. 600,344

1 Claim. (Cl. 198-185) This invention relates to a new and improved nbre stripping device and is a division of our copending application Serial No. 383,064, led September 29, 1953.

Decorticating machines are employed for the purpose of separating the undesirable pulp from the usable libres in stalk like fibre plants such as ramie, kenaf, Chinese grass, etc. As a general rule the harvesting of stalk bres consists in the cutting of the stalks at their butt ends and thereafter bringing the stalks to a decorticating machine for the removal of the pulp. Time is of the essence in the performance of decortication inasmuch as there is a chemical change constantly progressing after the stalk has been cut making it more and more d iicult to effect complete decortication. The fibre stalks include in addition to the usable bres and the undesirable pulp a gummy resin or sap substance which causes the adhesion between the pulp and the fibres. The passing of time tends to harden these gums prior to removal of the pulp and unless decortication occurs relatively promptly after harvesting the stalks the resultant attempts at decortication are almost futile.

A principal object of the present invention is the provisionof means for positively stripping decorticated bres from cooperative VJbelt and V-pulley gripping means at the completion of libre decortication.

Another important object of this invention is to provide taut wires arranged in association with a multiple grooved pulley to effect stripping of bres from a decorticator.

Other and further important objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the disclosures in the following speciication and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the machine of this invention taken principally from one side thereof.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the machine as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view detail of the machine as taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3 with parts thereof broken away.

Figure 5 is a sectionalview taken on the of Figure 4.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral 20 indicates generally a frame supporting'structure which is carried by rearwardly disposed, laterally spaced apart traction wheels 21and 2v2. The forward end of the self propelled harvesting and decorticating machine is carried by a steerable wheel 23. The machine is thus equipped with a wheel supporting frame structure.

Generally the eld traversing tibre decorticator shown in the drawings is described in detail in the parent case of this application, Serial No. 383,064. It is believed suicient to point out that the implement contains a iibre Stalk gathering mechanism and mechanism to elfect denne 5 5 2,906,394 Patented Sept. 29, 1959 ICC cortication of the stalks throughout their full lengths. The stalks are rst gripped at one end and decortication accomplished on the free ends and whereafter the stalks are gripped at their now decorticated ends and decortication is accomplished on the previously gripped ends. The invention herein is concerned with the removal of the decorticated stalks from the mechanism gripping -the stalks during decortication.

An engine 24 is mounted on the frame structure at the forward end thereof overthe steerable or dirigible wheel 23 and adjacent an operators station 25. The engine 24 is adapted to impart drive tothe traction wheels 21 and 22 and to a stalk harvesting portion broadly designated by the numeral 26 of the machine to be here,

inafter described.

The operators station 25' is equipped with a seat 70, a steering wheel 71 to control the angular position of the dirigible ground engaging wheel 23, various foot pedals 72, and hand engaging levers 73 generally to control the operation of various parts of the machine of this invention.

The function of the machine is to traverse a eld of standing fibrous stalks for the purpose of harvesting the stalks and immediately Without delay decorticate the stalks so the usable fibres are separated from the undesirable pulp of the stalk.

A transversely running conveyor 99 is for the purpose of delivering harvested bre stalks into the decorticating elements of the machine.

The stalks are guided in their transition from engagementby the stalk gathering elements to the conveyor 99 by means of an upwardly projecting guide sheet 113 located in substantial alignment with the inside of the conveyor 99 and a relatively high guide sheet 114 located on the outside edge of the conveyor 99. Thus when the stalks fall from the harvester they are guided onto and laid in a uniform longitudinal manner on the conveyor 99.

The butt ends of the stalks ride on the multiple V-belts 102 comprising the conveyor .99 and also on plural V-belts 141 so that the stalks are .positively fed to the juncture between the V- belts and a V-pulley 137. It is evident that the gripping of the stalks is made quite positive beforethe stalks are defoliated or combed by a fingered, narrow, chain conveyor 129.

The decorticating means comprises vertically spaced apart endless chain conveyors 144 and 145. These conveyors or flexible members 144 and 145 are constructed in much lthe same manner and it is the cooperating surfaces therebetween that scutch or otherwise remove the pulp from the fibrous stalks.

Decortication'is not complete because the butt ends have not been cleaned and it is thus the function of this machine to subsequently grip the stalks at or near the heads of the stalks while the butts are scutched. This stage of the machine requires a second gripper and this is similar to, but spaced longitudinally from the lirst gripper. The second stalk gripper includes a plural V-pulley 187 mounted on the shaft 140 spaced from the plural V-pulley 139, a very large plural V-pulley 188 corresponding to the pulley 137, a plural V-pulley 189, and an idler plural V-pulley 190. All of these pulleys are in vertical planar alignment and are journally carried on the supporting structure 20. Plural V-belts 191 are trained around the pulleys just described in much the same manner as the V-belts 141 are employed in the iirst stalk gripper. The stalks are crimpedly held in the second gripper between the V-belts 191 and the annular V-notches of the large plural V-pulleys 188.

When stalks are discharged from the rst gripper they are assisted in their elevation from the first decorticator by a fingered V-belt broadly designated as 192 in Figure lV-pulleys 'V187 'as `shown 'in Figure 4. VA V-belt '196 is extended around the -pulleys 193and 195 and Vits upper Arun Yprovides a movable inclined -track between stalk grippers. Outwardly projecting -iingers or spikes l19"/ form an integral 4part ofthe V-belt 196 and -insure `the transporting of stalks up the inclined path. From this point forward in the progress of the decorticator of this machine 4the actions are repetitious, 4butin an opposite direction. lby the fingered :belt A192 Yand are Vgripped at their upper ends'between-the V-'belts '19-1 and` the llarge -V-pulleys 188.

rITherstalks 104 arefedinto the second gripper While lthe stalks iare so held they are subjected -to the second decorticator-comprising upper and lower cross slatted scutching chains 198 and 199. The chains 198 and 199 are-arranged and constructed to-run away from the second gripping means at their cooperating surfaces. In this lmanner thelentire length of stalk is decorticated in two stages. The depulping action of the first decorticator causes 'the pulp to-be discharged rearwardly of the machine and similarly the depulping action of the second decorticator causes the pulp to bepropelled forwardly out of the machine from between Vthe scutching chains 198 and 199.

In order that there shall be no tendency for decorticated fibres to stick to and follow any of the moving elements a plurality of taut wires 203 are fastened to the frame structure A20 at 204 and extend upwardly over and through the V-notches of the plural V-pulley 189, and thence downwardly and outwardly forfixed attachment at 20S. Thus as the fibres are discharged from the second gripper they are forced to ride over onto the top of the taut wires 203 whereupon an operator standing on the platform 206 may conveniently tie or bundle the fibres in a manner for convenient subsequent washing treatment or curing or the like.

As best shown in Figure 5 taut wires 203 are disposed in relatively shallow V-grooves 250 located intermediate the larger and substantially deeper grooves to receive the belts 191 in the plural V-belt pulley 189. Itis thus apparent that the taut wires 203 `act to prevent lthe decorticated and previously gripped fibres from continuing to rotate around the pulley 189. The harvested and decorticated fibres slide down -the inclined taut stripping wires whereupon as previously stated an attendant may tie or bundle them as desired.

A fibre receiving deck 226 is located on the side of the machine rigidly with the frame structure 20. Several ropes 227 are fastened to the outer edge of the platform 226 at 228 and then are draped -inwardly over the .platform and then upwardly. The operator receiving decorticated fibres places bunches thereof on the platform or deck 226 over the ropes 227. When a sufficiently large load is on the deck the upper free ends 0f the ropes 227 are pulled causing the entire load of fibres to be dropped olf the side of the machine. These loads of decorticated fibres are later picked up and given necessary subsequent treatment.

In the operation of the machine of this invention it is propelled through a field of .growing ramie or other stalk fibre plants at which time the stalks are guided into the gathering mechanism whereupon the stalks arecut and then decorticated.

Following complete decortication the fibres are stripped by the taut wires 203 arranged as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

It is apparent that vherein lis provided a-complet`e=self propelled harvester and decorticator which 'has all Aits parts peculiarly integrated in the successful and complete harvesting and decortication of vfibrous stalks. Many details of construction maybe varied throughout a wide range without departing `from the principles disclosed herein and we therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by -the appended claim.

What-is claimed is:

A discharge for a fibre conveyor of the type employing cooperative V-belt and V-pulleys and wherein the fibres are transversely disposed and fed between the V-belt and V-pulleys, comprising a-supporting structure, `a plural V-pulley journaled -on said -supporting -structure and having the vV-belt ofthe fibre conveyor operatingin one of the V-grooves therein and extending therearound, a taut wire-anchored on said supporting structure and extending up and over said V-pulley and lying -in the 'V- groove thereof adjacent said V-belt, and said taut wir'e inclined angularly outwardly from the other side of the plural V-pulley and anchored on -said supporting structure spaced from said initial anchoring whereby fibres are stripped from the V-belt and plural V-pulley and are discharged do'wn the inclined 'portion of -the 'taut Wire.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 744,281 Beardet al Nov. "17, 1903 1,962,879 'Schmidt'efah .lune l2, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 516,959 Germany Jan. 29, l1931 

